Press Release: UNC-TV Launching North Carolina Science Now

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina -- UNC-TV announces it will begin a series of weekly North Carolina Science Now reports during Wednesday editions of its public affairs program North Carolina Now, supplemented by an educational SCIENCE NOW web site and guided by a professional science educator, thanks to a generous grant from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Beginning in August, the multi-media series will run for a full year (52 episodes).

The North Carolina Science Now reports will focus on the latest scientific findings from university laboratories and research organizations in the Research Triangle Park area, as well as throughout the state of North Carolina. The stories will be designed to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education, a critically important national initiative.

The professional science educator funded through the grant will ensure that the information conveyed is accurate, meets Common Core standards, and is useful for educators. In addition, this educator will develop online resources for teachers that show students everyday uses of and career paths stemming from the science concepts they study.

North Carolina Science Now will air during “Science Wednesdays”, which includes regularly scheduled PBS programs with a science theme, including NATURE, NOVA, and NOVA scienceNOW, as well as science-themed specials. All of the content created for North Carolina Science Now will be housed on a future dedicated UNC-TV Science web site, which will launch in July, that will serve as a multimedia platform combining video, educational resources, blogs, articles and photos in an interconnected, dynamic approach to educational storytelling, showcasing North Carolina Science Now and additional science-related stories.

Shannon Vickery, UNC-TV’s Director of Production, thanked GSK for its support of this multi-media project that will educate and inspire its audiences. “The North Carolina Science Now Project will not only bring fascinating information to our viewing audience, but help fulfill our mission of making valuable educational science content available to educators in North Carolina throughout the year. ”

Mary Linda Andrews, Director, Community Partnerships for GSK, noted the community impact of the project, saying, “GSK applauds UNC-TV for bringing interesting and current science programming to educators, students, and their expansive audience. GSK could not be more proud to support such an exciting program.”

About UNC-TVUNC-TV provides people of all ages with enriching, life-changing television through its distinctive array of programs and services, including four digital channels: flagship UNC-TV; UNC-EX The Explorer Channel; UNC-KD The Kids Channel; and UNC-MX The Eclectic Mix Channel (available on digital cable only). UNC-TV’s 12 stations comprise North Carolina’s only statewide television network, made possible through a unique partnership of public investment and private support. UNC-TV is committed to producing, broadcasting and sharing content for and about North Carolina, making it the state’s most important source of information about North Carolina. For more information, visit unctv.org and join the conversation by liking us at facebook.com/unctv and following us on Twitter @UNCTV!

About GlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKline – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information go to us.gsk.com, follow us on twitter.com/GSKUS or visit our blog (morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog).